Roll Call Tribute

Groveton Funeral Home obituary
1019 West First Street, Groveton, TX
936-642-1125

Rodney Djuane Thomas 
(March 30, 1973 - June 14, 2014)

Rodney Djuane Thomas, age 41, of Spring, Texas, formerly of Groveton, Texas was born on March 30, 1973 to his parents, Frank Braggs and Shirley (Thomas) Williams in Trinity, Texas and went to be with his Lord and Savior on June 14, 2014 in Groveton, Texas. Visitation will begin at 9:30 AM until service time at 11:00 AM, Friday, June 20, 2014 at the John W. Reynolds Athletic Complex of the Groveton High School Gymnasium with Elder Darell Williams officiating. Burial will follow the services in Lacy Cemetery.

He was raised in the Baptist Church and attended Baldwin Chapel in his youth. Rodney was a graduate of Groveton High School Class of 1990, where he helped Groveton capture two back to back state 2A championships in 1989 and 1990. Upon graduation, he was signed on at Texas A&M University to play college football. Rodney had a career rushing total of 8,441 yards and was ranked fifth on the all-time list. He helped lead Texas A&M in the Southwest Conference in rushing for four consecutive years during his tenure. In 1995, he was drafted in the NFL during round three and picked by Houston Oilers to play professional football. He played as a running back for Houston Oilers, Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons during his seven year NFL career. Rodney is listed in the Texas A&M Hall of Fame as well as the Groveton High School Hall of Fame. In 1994, he was given the Aggie Heart Award.

Rodney is preceded in death by his father, Frank Braggs; step-father, Jessie Williams and his twin brother, Todd Thomas. He leaves behind his wife, Leigh Thomas, of Spring; son, Ian Thomas, of Spring; step-son, Jalen Brown, of Spring; mother, Shirley Williams, of Groveton; sisters, Ella Derry, of Houston, Lakendra Braggs, Christine Williams, of Groveton and Jessica Williams, of Groveton; brothers, Steven Thomas, of Houston, Kevin Braggs, Delrasil Williams, of Houston, Elder Darell Williams, of Huntsville and Jessie Lee Williams, of Groveton; numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends, also survive.

Groveton Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Please sign the guestbook at www.grovetonfuneralhome.com
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From tributes.com

Rodney Thomas

EMILY SCHMALL, The Associated Press

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Rodney Thomas, who played running back for the Houston Oilers, Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons during a seven-year NFL career, has died. He was 41.

Thomas died Saturday at the home in Groveton, a small East Texas town where he grew up, that he bought for his mother after signing his first professional contract, Groveton Funeral Home owner Terry Cartwright said Sunday. The cause of death wasn't known and an autopsy was underway, he said.

The Oilers selected the Texas A&M running back in the 3rd round of the 1995 draft, and he ran for 947 yards and five touchdowns during his rookie season. The team finished the season 7-9, though, and drafted Heisman Trophy-winning running back Eddie George in the first round the following spring, making Thomas a backup.

Thomas remained with the team as a backup after it moved to Tennessee and became the Titans, but eclipsed 200 rushing yards in a season only once more, when he ran for 310 yards during the Titans' 1997 campaign.

He played in Super Bowl XXIV, when the Titans lost to the Rams, and played his seventh and final season with the Atlanta Falcons in 2001. He finished his career with 1,973 rushing yards, 631 receiving yards and 15 total touchdowns.

Cartwright said Thomas had been living in Spring, near Houston, with his wife and 4-year-old child, and that he often visited Groveton on business and to see his mother and other relatives who live in town. He said Thomas was well-liked in the community because he was "down to earth and humble."

Thomas led the high school football team to two back-to-back state championships, in 1989 and 1990. He led the Aggies in rushing for four straight seasons, and in 1994, his teammates gave him the Aggie Heart Award, an award for a Texas A&M senior football player who demonstrates effort, determination, leadership and courage.

"What a great young guy he was," former Texas A&M football coach R.C. Slocum told The Associated Press. "He made the greatest impact on his teammates of all the guys I've ever coached."

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Follow Emily Schmall on Twitter at https://twitter.com/emilyschmall
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(Bryan-College Station) Eagle staff report | Posted: Tuesday, June 17, 2014 12:05 am

Photo 2: Football College Games 1992 Pigskin Bowl Stanford vs A&M TexasRodney Thomas (20) blocks for Texas A&M quarterback Jeff Granger during the Pigskin Classic game against Stanford in 1992 in Anaheim.

Thomas funeral service scheduled for Friday

Funeral services for former Texas A&M running back Rodney Thomas will be Friday in Groveton’s John Wayne Reynolds Gymnasium. Viewing will be from 9:30-11 a.m. and the funeral service will be at 11 a.m.

Thomas, 41, died in his hometown of Groveton on Saturday. The two-time All-Southwest Conference performer had 3,014 career yards rushing, fifth in school history, and his 41 touchdowns are third best. Thomas won the Aggie Heart Award as a senior. He was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the third round of the 1995 NFL Draft.

Thomas played at A&M from 1991-94 after leading Groveton to a pair of Class 2A state titles. He rushed for 8.441 yards at Groveton which is third in state history behind Ken Hall and Wes Danaher.

Thomas is survived by wife Leigh, 4-year old son Ian Rodney Thomas, and a teenage stepson, Jalen David Brown, who is entering Texas A&M this fall to pursue an engineering degree.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Texas A&M Lettermen’s Association Building Fund: 12th Man Foundation, P.O. Box 2800, College Station, TX 77841-2800 (Memo: Lettermen’s Facility Fund / Rodney Thomas Memorial)